The China Mail - Diaz, Kane give Bayern vital Champions League win at Real

Kylian Mbappe's strike 16 minutes from time gave record 15-time winners Real a lifeline at their Bernabeu home in a gripping battle.

Vincent Kompany's side, arguably the strongest team in Europe this season, produced a masterclass in the first half and could have been several goals ahead.

Instead they had only one from Diaz, which Kane added to after the interval, but Mbappe's goal kept Alvaro Arbeloa's side in the tie.

The round's glamour fixture was a European classic -- a record 29th time these teams have faced each other in the competition.

Bayern flew out of the blocks and Konrad Laimer's rasping effort narrowly over the bar showed that Kompany's side had come to the Spanish capital to attack.

After nine consecutive matches against Madrid without a win, Bayern were determined to put an end to that streak and show why many consider them favourites to lift the trophy this season.

Bayern should have taken the lead through defender Dayot Upamecano, who fluffed his lines from point-blank range after Kane cushioned the ball into his path.

Despite the Frenchman's ungainly effort at finishing, the ball was still heading for the net but Madrid defender Alvaro Carreras hacked it off the line to safety.

Madrid were largely pinned back as Bayern dominated the ball, but the hosts sought to send through rapid strikers Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on the counter.

The competition's top scorer, Mbappe, got in first and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made a solid save with his legs to deny the striker.

Vinicius was next but Neuer was equal to his bending strike too, palming the ball away.

Madrid's defensive work was nearly undone by a moment of madness from 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch, starting in place of Jude Bellingham as the England international builds fitness after injury.

Pitarch's poor back pass under pressure was straight to Serge Gnabry in front of goal but Andriy Lunin, perhaps without even knowing how, deflected the German's shot behind.

Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde, who scored a sensational hat-trick in the last 16 against Manchester City, put Mbappe through again but Neuer saved the French superstar's drive from a tight angle.

- Madrid stay alive -

Bayern toyed at times with Real, who ceded possession far too often, and their opening goal was a slick combination play which caught the hosts on their heels.

After a Vinicius pass deflected off Michael Olise and back to Bayern, they sprang into action.

Gnabry exchanged a one-two with Kane and pushed the ball in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold for the Madrid defender's former Liverpool team-mate Diaz to reach and stroke home past Lunin in the 41st minute.

Kane, who was a doubt to start because of an ankle problem, did not seem fully fit but made an even bigger impact less than a minute into the second half.

Olise cut the ball back to him on the edge of the box and Kane fizzed a curling effort into the bottom corner to double Bayern's lead.

It was his 11th Champions League strike this season, trailing only Mbappe, and his 49th goal across all competitions.

Vinicius had a fine chance to pull one back for Real when Upamecano badly fluffed a header back to Neuer, but the goalkeeper came out well to pressure the Brazilian into slicing his shot into the side-netting.

Neuer, who made a mistake which allowed Madrid to launch a late comeback at the Bernabeu and knock out Bayern in the 2024 semi-finals, made a brilliant save to thwart Mbappe once more.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker swerved a shot wide from a tight angle as Madrid scrambled for a way back into the tie.

With Bellingham on as a substitute, Madrid stepped up a level and eventually found the net with Alexander-Arnold making amends for his part in Bayern's opener.

The right-back guided a low cross to the far post and this time Mbappe did beat Neuer, smashing home off the crossbar after 74 minutes.

Bayern angrily roared back with Kane volleying wide as they tried to restore their advantage, but instead they take a slender lead back to Bavaria for next Wednesday's second leg.

C.Smith--ThChM